Hot top structure



y 9, 1968 P. J. LOBSTEIN ET AL 3,391,896

HOT TOP STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 11, 1965 FIG FIG-3 INVENTORSPAUL J. LOBSTEIN LOUIS R. DUPUY BY ,2: a

ATTORNEYS y 9. 1968 P. J. LOBSTEIN ET AL 3,39 96 HOT TOP STRUCTURE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11, 1965 FIG.4

S m T N E V PAUL .1. LOBSTEIN LOUIS. R. DUPUY ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,391,896 HOT TOP STRUCTURE Paul .1. Lobstein, Paris, and LouisR. Dupuy, Marly-le- Roi, France, assignors to Oglebay Norton Company,Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 11, 1965, Ser. No.494,327 16 Claims. (Cl. 249106) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosedherein is a panel for use in a hot top structure on an ingot mold. Thepanel has a recess formed in its back side and a hanger pivotallymounted for movement between a storage position and an operativeposition. When in the storage position the hanger is located in therecess and is substantially entirely between opposite sides of thepanel. In the operative position the hanger extends outwardly to supportthe panel.

The present invention relates to a hot top structure, and particularlyto a hot top structure comprising a refractory panel, which is supportedby a hanger means at the upper end of an ingot mold.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a newand improved hot top structure comprising a refractory panel carrying ahanger means for supporting the panel in an ingot mold and whichstructure is readily manufactured, easily shipped and pailetized, andhighly effective in use.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a new andimproved hot top structure comprising a refractory panel which isupported in position in an ingot mold by a hanger means and wherein thehanger means is carried by the panel and includes a portion movablerelative to the refractory panel between a storage position wherein thehanger means is located substantially entirely between opposite sides ofthe panel without any portion extending outwardly thereof and anoperative position wherein a portion of the hanger means extendsoutwardly of the panel for engagement with the mold.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of anew and improved hot top structure comprising a panel which is supportedat the upper end of an ingot mold and wherein hanger means carried bythe panel supports the panel in position in the ingot mold and whereinthe panel has a recess in one side thereof and in which the hanger meansis at least in part located when the hanger means is in a storageposition and the hanger means has a panel supporting part movable fromthe recess to a position for engaging the ingot mold to support thepanel in position in the mold.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new andimproved hot top structure comprising a refractory panel which is to besupported at the upper end of an ingot mold by a hanger means carried bythe panel and wherein the hanger means includes a panel supporting partpivotal relative to the panel from a storage position to an operativeposition for engaging the mold, and includes a pivot pin molded into therefractory material of the panel.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a newand improved hot top structure comprising a refractory panel having ahanger means for engag ing an ingot mold and supporting the panel inposition in the mold, and wherein the hanger means includes a portionwhich cooperates with the mold to effect a tilting of the lower edge ofthe panel into engagement with the wall of the mold and thereby providesa seal between the lower edge of the panel and the mold wall to preventmolten metal from flowing between the backside of the panel and the moldwall.

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A still further object of the present invention is the provision of anew and improved hot top which includes a plurality of refractory sidepanels and corner members with each side panel having a hanger means forsupporting the panel in position in an ingot mold and wherein the cornermembers are driven in wedging engagement between the side panels andwherein the hangers which hold the panels in position are relativelystrong and reliable so as not to be broken due to the wedging of thecorner pieces into position.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art to which it relates from the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof made withreference to the accompanying drawings and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a hot top structure embodyingthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the hot top structure of FIG. 1, takenapproximately along the section line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a View looking at the back of a portion of the hot topstructure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the hot top structure shown inFIG. 3, taken approximately along the section line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating the molding of the hot topstructure shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the construction shown in FIG. 5.

The present invention provides a new and improved hot top structure andparticularly provides a new and improved refractory panel which is to besupported at the upper end of an ingot mold. A plurality of panels ofthe present invention are located in position at the upper end of aningot mold and form a hot top thereat. Each of the panels includes ahanger means carried by the panel and each hanger means cooperates withthe ingot mold to support its associated panel in position in the mold.The panels of the present invention with the hanger means are readilymanufactured, easily shipped and palletized, and highly effective inuse.

As representing the preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG.1 illustrates an ingot mold 10 having a hot top structure 11 supportedtherein at the upper end thereof. The ingot mold It) may be of anyparticular shape. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, it is of theconventionally known big-end down type of ingot mold having asubstantially rectangular opening. A big-end down type of ingot mold isone which has an internal cavity which tapers so as to be larger at thebottom than at the top thereof. The invention, however, is, of course,applicable to other types of molds other than the big-end down type ofmold, and having different shaped openlIlgS.

The hot top 11 which is supported at the upper end of the ingot mold 153is comprised of a plurality of side panels 12, 13, 14, and 15. The sidepanels cover the upper portion of opposite sides of the mold 18. Cornerwedge pieces 16, 17, 18, and 19 are located at the corners of the hottop and form the corners thereof. In the construction of the hot top 11,the side panels 12, 13, 14, and 15 are supported at the upper end of theingot mold and located in the desired position, and the wedge cornerpieces 16, 17, 18, and 19 are then driven into position so as to providea tight surface area engagement between the various wedge pieces and theadjacent panels.

The panels 12-15, as well as the wedge pieces 16-19, are constructed ofan insulating refractory material of a conventional type and, as notedabove, form the hot top 11. These refractory arts form the hot top 11and define a central opening therethrough and through which molten metalis poured into the ingot mold. As is common practice, the molten metalis poured to an ordered level in the central opening defined by the hottop 11. The refractory insulating parts maintain the mass of moltenmetal in the central opening in a molten state so as to provide forfeeding of the molten metal therein into the shrinkage cavity formed bythe solidifying metal in the mold, as is well known in the hot top art.

The panels 12., 13, 14, and are suported in position in the hot top bysuitable hanger means carried by the particular panel. Since the panelsand the hanger means are identical in construction, only one panel,namely panel 12, and its associated hanger means, will be describedhereinbelow in detail.

As shown in FIG. 3, panel 12 comprises a tapered panel havingnonparallel side edges and 21 and which diverge from the top edge 22 ofthe panel to the bottom edge 23 of the panel. The panel is in the shapeof a trapezoid, as shown in FIG. 3, with the top and bottom edges in aparallel relation. The panel has a backside 12a which faces the innerwall of the mold and a front side 12b defining an opening through thehot top. The surfaces 12a, 12b in the present embodiment are fiat orplanar. The particular shape of the panel is, of course, dictated by theshape of the mold and is shaped to correspond with the shape of the moldand may have straight side edges or have side edges which diverge orconverge at difierent angles. Moreover, the surfaces 12a, 12b may have acurved or other configuration difierent from the planar configurationshown in the drawings.

The hanger means which support the side panel 12 at the upper end of theingot mold 10 comprise a pair of hangers designated 25, 26. The hangers25, 26 are substantially identical in construction and in view of thesimilarity between the hangers 25 and 26, only the hanger 26 will bedescribed in detail, but similar parts of each hanger will be givensimilar reference numbers.

The hanger 26 is carried by the panel 12 and is movable relative to thepanel 12 from a shipping or storage position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4,to an operative position for holding the panel 12 in the mold 10, asshown in FIG. 1. The hanger 26 as shown in FIG. 6 specifically is hingedfor pivotally movement relative to the panel 12 and includes a hinge orpivot pin 30 which is embedded in the refractory material. The oppositeends of the Pivot pin 30 are embedded in the refractory material duringthe forming of the panel, as will be described herein-below. The hanger26 also includes a base portion 31 fixedly secured to the pivot pin 30and encircling the pivot pin 30. A plate-like connecting portion 32 ofthe hanger 26 extends away from the base portion 31. The portion 32conmeets with a panel supporting portion or part 33 of the hanger 2.6and forms an obtuse angle therewith. The portion 32 has a lower edge 34which is adapted to engage the upper surface 10a of the mold 10.

The hanger 26 is movable relative to the panel 12 about the axis of thepivot pin 30 between an operative position wherein the portion 33thereof extends outwardly of the panel 12 and substantiallyperpendicular to the backside 12a thereof, so as to engage the uppersurface 10a of the mold 10, and an inoperative or shipping positionwherein the hanger 26 is located entirely between the front andbacksides 12b, 12a, respectively, of the panel 12, as shown in fulllines in FIG. 4.

When the hanger 26 is in its storage position, it is located in a recessformed in the backside 12a of the panel 12. The recess includes asubstantially triangular-shaped recess portion 40. The recess portion isdefined by a pair of side surfaces 41, 42 which converge at an apex. Thepivot pin 30 is embedded in the refractory material spaced from the apexbut such that the connecting portion 32 of the hanger 26 extends throughthe apex along the surface 42 defining the recess portion 40. Themoldengaging portion 33 of the hanger 26 is located in arectangular-shaped recess portion 43 in the backside of the panel 12a.The recess portion 43 communicates with the triangular-shaped recessportion 40.

When the hanger 26 is in its inoperative position, as shown in fulllines in FIG. 4, the hanger 26 is located substantially entirely betweenthe back surface 12a of the panel 12 and the front surface 12b thereof,and specifically the surface portion 33a of the portion 33 of the hanger26 is flush with the backside 12a of the panel, and no portions of thehanger 26 extend beyond the panel. When in its operative position, thehanger portion 33 extends outwardly of the panel as shown in dot-dashlines in FIG. 4 and in this position the surface 34 of the portion 33 isadapted to engage the upper surface 10:: of the mold 10 to support thepanel 12 in position in the ingot mold.

In view of the fact that the hanger member 26 is located substantiallyentirely between the panel surfaces 12a and 12b, and is free of anyportions projecting therefrom, the panel 12 may -be easily shipped,handled, and palletized. The hanger thus has no projecting portionswhich would interfere with palletizin and which might be broken whenbeing shipped. Moreover, the panel may be easily constructed and driedwithout interference of projecting portions of the hanger with the dryersurface.

As noted above, the hanger 26 is embedded in the refractory panel 12,and is located and embedded in the refractory panel 12 during themolding or forming of the refractory panel 12. Moreover, the recessportions 40 and 43 are also formed in the panel at the same time,namely, during the molding operation or the forming operation of thepanel. The apparatus for forming the panel is generally shown in aschematic manner in FIG. 5. The apparatus is of the so-called vacuum-boxtype which includes a vacuum box 50 of the desired shape and having ascreen 51 stretched therecross. Suitable means is provided for drawing avacuum through the screen 51 and the presence of vacuum is designatedgenerally by the arrow 52 in FIG. 5. An upper contour frame 53 isadapted to be placed on top of the vacuum box 50 and is movaa blerelative to the box 50. g

In the construction of the panels, as shown in FIG. 4, suitable means issecured to the screen 51 so as to provide the recess portion 40 of thepanels. This means is in the form of an anvil, designated 60 in thedrawings. The anvil 60 is secured to the screen 51 by any suitablemeans, such as a screw 61 which projects through a plate 62 for clampingpurposes and is screwed into a threaded hole 63 in the anvil 60. Asshown in FIG. 5, the anvil 60 has a generally triangular cross sectionand projects upwardly from the screen 51.

The anvil 60 is adapted to support the hanger 26 in position prior tothe hanger being embedded in the refractory material. Accordingly, theanvil 60 is constructed so as to cooperate with portions of the hanger26 and, specifically, the anvil 60 includes a hanger seat for rece1v1ngthe base portion 31 of the hanger 26. The seat 64 is formed as arecessed portion in one inclined side of the anvil 60. The inclined sideof the anvil 60 opposite the side having the seat 64 has a pair ofprojectmg lug portions 65, 66. The lug portions 65, 66 define a pockettherebetween in which the connecting portion 32 of the hanger 26 islocated, as best shown in FIG. 5, when the hanger 26 is supported by theanvil 60 during the formation of the refractory panel. The portion 33 ofthe hanger 26 is then supported by the screen 51.

After the hanger member 26 is positioned on the anvil 60, as shown inFIG. 5, the refractory material, as a slurry, is poured into the contourframe 53. A vacuum is then applied through the screen 51 drawing liquidfrom the refractory material or slurry. During this process, the pin 30is embedded in the refractory material. The contour frame member 53 isthen moved upwardly, as shown in FIG. 5, away from the vacuum box 50 andthe formed panel may then be removed from the screen 51. Upon removal ofthe panel from the screen and vacuum box 50, the hinge 26, of course, isremoved with the panel, since the pin 30 is embedded in the refractorymaterial. The anvil 60 which is connected to the screen 51 remains withthe screen 51 and may be reused in the next forming operation. Thus,where the anvil 60 was located, there is a void constituting the recessportion 40. The recess 43, of course, is formed by the portion 33 of thehanger 26 during the molding of the panel.

After the panel has been removed from the vacuum box, it is dried and inview of the fact that the hanger 26 does not extend beyond the backsurface 12a of the panel, the hanger does not interfere with the dryingoperation. Moreover, during the drying operation, a certain amount offorming or shaping of the refractory panel may also occur and the factthat the hanger does not extend beyond the back wall of the panelfacilitates the formation of the panel into the desired shape.

After the panel has been formed, it may, of course, be shipped with thehangers in their storage positions located substantially entirelybetween the back and front surfaces of the panels. Since the hangershave such a shipping position, the panels may be palletized readily andeasily handled without the dangers of the damage due to the projectingportions of the hangers being chipped or broken.

When it is desired to use the panel 12 constructed in accordance withthe present invention, the hangers 25, 26 are moved from theirinoperative position shown in full lines in FIG. 4 to their operativeposition shown in dotdash lines in FIG. 4. When in their operativeposition, the portion 33 thereof is moved out of the recess portion 43and pivoted to right angles to the back surface 12a of the panel 12. Atthe same time, the connecting portion 32 of the hangers moves throughthe recess 40 from engagement with side 42 thereof to the opposite sidethereof and engages and is supported against the opposite side 41 of therecess. The pivoting action, of course, is provided for by the rotationof the pivot pin 30 which is embedded in the refractory materialrelative to the refractory material in which it is embedded.

As noted above, the various panels constructed in accordance with thepresent invention are positioned or hung adjacent the opposite sides ofthe mold and the corner wedge pieces 16 are then driven into position.The driving of the corner wedge pieces into position does place asubstantial force on the panels and on the hangers which are holding thepanels in position. The hangers of the present invention may be made ofrelatively strong metal, such as steel, and have substantial strengthand resistance so as to overcome substantial forces applied to thepanels due to the hammering and wedging of the corner pieces intoposition.

After the hot top is suitably formed at the upper end of the ingot mold10, molten metal is poured into the ingot mold. In the presentembodiment, as shown in the drawings, the molten metal is poured throughthe central opening formed by the various refractory panels and cornerpieces. The molten metal is poured so as to fill the hot top cavity to apoint just below the ingot mold top 10a and the hot top refractorypanels provide and maintain the metal therein in a molten state whilethe metal in the ingot solidifies, as is well known in the art. Duringthe pouring operation, there is, of course, a tendency for the moltenmetal to flow between the back sides 12a of the refractory panel and themold wall, and the hanger means of the present construction has theadditional advantage of functioning to help provide a seal between thelower edge 23 of the panels and the inner wall of the mold.

In this connection, the hanger means includes a portion engageable withthe mold and which functions to tilt the panel 12 so that the lower edgethereof engages the inner wall of the mold in a sealing contact, as bestshown in FIG. 2. Specifically, the hanger 26 has a portion which engagesthe mold wall and functions to tilt or pivot the panel so that the loweredge thereof engages the mold wall. Preferably, the portion whicheffects this seal is a part of the connecting portion 32 of the hanger26 and which portion projects outwardly somewhat beyond the back surface12a of the panel when the hanger 26 is moved to its operative position.Specifically, the lower part of the connecting portion 32 of the panel,as shown in FIG. 2, engages the wall of the mold. This part of theconnecting portion 32 is located beneath the portion 33 of the hanger 26and specifically the outermost surface 32a thereof engages the mold wallat the top thereof and functions to hold the top of the panel slightlyaway from the mold wall and to effect the tilting of the lower edge 23of the refractory panel into engagement with the wall of the mold. This,as noted hereinabove, substantially minimizes the amount of molten metalwhich fiows between the back side 12a of the panel and the inner wall ofthe mold. The flow of molten metal behind the panel 12 would cause metalfins which result in a poor ingot sinkhead function, and loss of yieldin rolling. Moreover, this might also cause displacement and floating ofthe panel or boiling thereof, resulting in loss of yield on rolling. Thepresent invention substantially minimizes these problems.

In view of the foregoing, it can 'be readily seen that applicants haveprovided a new and improved hot top structure which includes arefractory panel having a hanger means for supporting the panel at theupper end of the ingot mold and wherein the hanger means includes aportion embeddeed in the panel. The hanger may be pivoted relative tothe refractory panel between a storage position wherein it is locatedsubstantially entirely between the front and back surfaces of the panelto an operative position wherein the hanger has a portion projectingbeyond the panel so as to engage the upper portion of the mold.Moreover, a part of the hanger effects a tilting of the panel so thatthe lower edge of the panel engages the inner wall of the mold in asealing contact.

It should be further apparent that applicants have made a highlydetailed description of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention hereinabove and that certain modifications, adaptations, andchanges may be made therein by those skilled in the art to which theinvention relates, and it is intended hereby to cover all such changes,adaptations, and modifications therein which come within the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. An assembly for use in a hot top structure comprising a refractoryinsulating panel to be supported at the upper end of an ingot mold, saidpanel having a back side for facing the ingot mold and a front sidewhich contacts molten metal pOured into the ingot mold, hanger meansconnected to said panel and having a supporting part movable relative tosaid panel between a storage position and an operative position, saidhanger means being substantially enitrely located between said back andfront sides and free of any portion projecting beyond said back andfront sides when said supporting part is in its storage position, saidsupporting part when in its operative position extending beyond saidback side to support said panel in said mold.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said panel has a recess inthe back side thereof in which said supporting part is located when inits said storage position.

3. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said hangor means includesa pivot pin embedded in said refractory panel, and said hanger meansincludes a connecting portion connecting said supporting part and saidpivot pin and said supporting part is pivotal about the axis of saidpivot pin between said operative and storage position.

4. An assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said connecting portionextends at an obtuse angle relative to said supporting part, and saidsupporting part extends along the back side of said panel when in itsstorage position.

5. An assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the outermost surface ofsaid supporting part when in its storage 3,391,896 7 8 position issubstantially flush with the back side of said back side thereof andsaid hanger located substantially panel.

6. An assembly for use in a hot top structure comprising a refractoryinsulating panel to be supported at the upper end of an ingot mold, saidpanel having a back side for facing the ingot mold and a front sidewhich contacts molten metal poured into the ingot mold, a panelsupporting hanger connected to said paneland movable relative theretobetween a storage position and an operative position, said panel havinga recess in the back side thereof and said hanger located substantiallyentirely in said recess When in its storage position and movabletherefromto its panel supporting position extending outwardly of thepanel.

7. An assembly for use in a hot top structure comprising a refractoryinsulating panel to be supported at the upper end of an ingot mold,having a back side for facing the ingot mold and a front side whichcontacts molten metal poured into the ingot mold, hanger means connectedto said panel and pivotal relative thereto between a storage positionand an operative position, said hanger means including a pivot supportportion embedded in the refractory panel and a support portion whichmoves about the axis of the pivot support portion between the operativeand storage positions and extends beyond said back side of said panel tosupport the panel in said mold when in its operative position.

8. An assembly for use in a hot top structure comprising'a refractoryinsulating panel to be supported at the upper end of an ingot mold, saidpanel having a back sidd for facing the ingot mold and a front sidewhich contacts molten metal poured into the ingot mold, hanger meansconnected to said panel and movable relative thereto between a storageposition and an operative posi- --tion, said hanger means having :afirst portion extending .outwardly of the panel for engagement with aportion of the ingot mold when in its operative position and said hangermeans having a second portion engageable with the mold for effecting atilting of the panel relative to the mold so as to position the loweredge of the panel in contact with the inner wall of the mold.

9. An assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said first portion includesan edge surface for engaging the upper surface of the mold and saidsecond portion has an edge surface for engaging the inner wall of themold and said second portion projects outwardly of the back side of saidpanel.

10. In combination, the hot top structure as defined in claim 9 and aningot mold having inner wall surfaces which diverge as they extend awayfrom the top of the mold.

11. An assembly for use in a hot top structure comprising a refractoryinsulating panel to be supported at the upper end of an ingot mold, saidpanel having a back side for facing the ingot mold and a front sidewhich contacts molten metal poured into the ingot mold, a panelsupporting hanger connected to said panel and pivotal relative theretobetween a storage position and an operative position, said panel havinga recess in the entirely in said recess when in its storage position andpivotal therefrom to a position extending outwardly of the panel to itsseparative position, and said hanger including a pivot portionconnectedto the refractory material of said panel and providing a pivotaxis about which said hanger pivots when moved between its storageposition and its operative position.

12. An assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said recess is defined inpartby a pair of surfaces which converge as they extend inwardly of thepanel, and said hanger includes a connecting portion extending betweensaid pivot portion and the portion of the hanger for engagement with themold, said connecting portion having one surface engaging one of saidconverging sides when said hanger is in its. storage position and asecond surface opposite'said one surface and engaging the other of saidconverging-surfaces when in its operative position. l

13. An assembly as-defined in claim 12 wherein said pivot portion ofsaid hanger is embedded in said refractory panel and-pivotal relativethereto.

14. An' assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said hanger means isformed of a metal material.

15. A hot top structure comprising a plurality of refractory insulatingpanels to be supported at the upper end of an ingot mold, each of saidpanels having a back side for facing the ingot mold and a front sidewhich contacts molten metal poured into the ingot mold, a pair of panelsupporting hangers connected to each of said panels and pivotal relativethereto between a storage position and an operative position, each ofsaid panels having recesses inthe back side thereof and each of saidhangers at least in part being located in a respective one of saidrecesses when in its storage position and movable therefrom when in itsoperative position, said hanger including a pivot portion embedded inthe refractory panel and providing a pivot axis about which said hangerpivots when moved between its storage and operative positions, andcorner wedge panel members wedged into position engaging adjacentside'edges of adjacent panels and forming a complete hot top therewithlocated at the upper end of the ingot mold.

16. A hot top structure as defined in claim 15 wherein said hangers aremade of a relatively strong metal and secured to their respective panelsso as to withstand the forces acting thereon due to the wedging of saidcorner pieces into position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,002,238 10/ 1961 Orrlson249-202 3,087,206 4/1963 Delf et a1. 3,178,783 4/1965 Ednell et al249106 3,202,395 8/ 1965 Beattie v249202 J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, PrimaryExaminer.

R. D. BALDWIN, Assistant Examiner.

Patent No. 3,391,896

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION July 9, 1968 PaulJ. Lobstein et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 8, line 4, "separative" should read operative Signed and sealedthis 9th day of December 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

